John & Bob's Blog

By winter’s end, many of our houseplants- and plants we’ve brought indoors- can look a little tired. The lack of light and the dry artificial heat can take a toll on most houseplants. They end up depending more heavily on their soil for nutrition and survival throughout the winter. Early spring is a great time to spruce them up and revitalize their growth, after the long winter!As soon as you get a clear, warm day, bring all your plants outside. Give them a few hours of fresh air and sunshine on a sunny afternoon. If temperatures are above the mid 50’s, take out the hose and give them a gentle spray-down. This will shake of any dust and mites, give them a deep watering and awaken plant tissue! Just like a cold shower or a spring dunk in the lake!

Trim off any dead or browning plant material. Some plants can even get rotten patches so give stems and branches a test squeeze. If anything feels squishy, that is a sign that it’s time for a pruning! Snip off branches where they join with the main part of the plant. This promotes new growth and prevents disease, all in one.It’s important to revitalize the soil for houseplants- almost more so than out in the garden because roots have a very limited reach! We often neglect to feed our houseplants or to replenish their soil, yet this is vital to their continued health. Feed those hungry indoor plants with a combination of organic nutrients and beneficial microbes to increase growth, disease resistance and overall health! Because containers are often densely planted, a concentrated, time-released organic fertilizer (like our Nourish) will work wonders to help them grow.All 4 of John and Bob’s Soil Solutions are fantastic at aiding in the growth of indoor plants. Prominent garden blogger, Gloria Bonde, applied John and Bob’s to her indoor citrus plants. Here’s what she had to say:

“The lemon tree is several years old and even though I fertilized and changed the soil, the tree wasn’t really thriving. During the winter I added the product called Optimize to my indoor citrus. My trees became greener. The small lemon flowered and set 3 growing fruits. But, it is the kumquat that has me amazed. I have never noticed it flower. But, look at it now!”

You can read Gloria’s full review, and see photos of her amazing garden, here.Give your indoor plants the boost they need, to reward them for their winter’s work of offering greenery and enjoyment throughout the cold months! Get more tips on growing indoor plants here!